Mechanical movement



Aug. 27, 1929. G. ZINT MECHANICAL MOVEMENT Filed Oct. 10, 1927 3Sheets-Sheet 'TTLi-HL 25 fzeozye 2222f,

Meme/go rww Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORGE ZINT, OF WAPAKONETA, .OHIO.

' MECHANICAL MOVEMENT.

Application filed October 10, 1927. Serial No. 225,342.

The invention relates to improvements in mechanical movements forsprinklers and aims to improve over the constructions shown by my U. S.Patents 1,146,228, of July 13, 1915 and 1,521,062 of December 30, 1924.

One object of the invention is to provide new and improved driving meansfor a carrier by means of which the sprinkler head is turned about avertical axis.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the above-nameddriving means is encased in a lubricant-containing housing from whichwater is excluded, thus insuring smooth and easy operation, andpreventing danger of corrosion if material be employed which wouldotherwise be subject to rust and the like.

The above-named carrier supports most parts of its driving means, and astill further object is to construct it in a simple and inexpensivemanner, such construction however being efficient and advantageous.

It is preferable that the carriers move first in one direction and thenin the other, and to accomplish this, the driving means embodies areverse gear. This reverse gear includes a sliding clutch whose positionis reversed to change the direction of drive, and it is another objectof the invention to provide novel and advantageous shifting means forthis clutch, overcoming any pos sibility of said clutch accidentallyremaining in a neutral, inactive position.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, thedescription being -made with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of portions of a sprinkler embodying myimprovements.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking in a different direction, partly insection, as indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view'substantially on line 33 of Fig.2.

,7 -Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on line .44 of Fig. 2, a .numberof parts however being in elevation. I a

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, all parts on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2however, being in vertical section.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the sliding clutchshifted tofits other position.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line 7-7 of Figs. 1 and 5.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 88 of Fig. 5. l V

The form of construction disclosed in the accompanying drawings, hasproven advantageous both from a manufacturing stand point and as toeflicient operation, and hence this construction may be considered aspreferred. -However, even though this construction willbe hereinspecifically described, it is to be understood that within the scope ofthe invention'as claimed, variations may be rotatably, said neck beingsecured to an appropriate spray head 15 which preferably embodies 'twonozzles 16-17, said head being held against accidental upward move mentby a rod 18 which is secured to it and passes downwardly through-theneck 14 and body 9, said rod being provided with a thrust bearingdisposed in the housing 19. The construction associated with thishousing is disclosed and protected by my U. S. Patent No. 1,633,879 ofJune 28, 1927.

Lying upon the worm wheel 11 is a carrier 20 which is pivotedconcentrically with said wheel for movement with respect thereto, saidcarrier embodying a flat horizontal plate-like portion 21 having anopening 22 through which a portion of the coupling member 12 passes toestablish the pivotal mounting of said carrier. I An outer edge of thecarrier portion 21 is 23, arm 27 being directly above lug 24 and formedwith a notch 23, with a downwardly arm 28 directly aboveflange 25. Theupper ends of these arms are formed with horizontally alined bearingopenings 27 28 respectively. Similarly, the lug 24L and the flange 25are formed with horizontally alined bearing openings 2t -25respectlvely. Two additional arms 29 -30.rise from the lug 26, thesearmsbeing disposed at oppositesides of the axes-of thebearing openings2728 and being themselves formed with horizontally alinedbearing-openings 29 30 whose axis is transverse to and afore said axisof the openings 27 28.

i The arm 29, the varms 2728, the lug 24:

the flange 25, and the lug 26 are all integral with the plate-likeportion 21 of the carrier 20 and this portion is also preferablyprovided with a downwardly projecting flange 31 at'an angle to theflange '25 and connected with the latter and with said lug'24. The arm30 however, ispreferably separate from the lug26 to assist in assemblyand disassembly, but is rigidly secured to said lug by a screw 32 (Figs3and 8), said arm 30 being held against turning upon the screw, by ashoulder 33 which underlies the lug26 as shown in Fig. 8. v

A lower horizontal shaft 3tis rotatably mounted in the lower bearingopenings 24 25-; an intermediate horizontal shaft 35 is rotatablymounted in the intermediate bearing openings 2728t, and an upper,

horizontal, rock shaft 36 is mounted in the bearing openings '29 30 andis consequently disposed transversely above the shafts 34-35. Shaft 34isprovided with a worm 37 which meshes with the teeth of the worm wheel'11, and shaft 35 is provided with a worm wheel 38 meshing with a worm39 on a vertical'shaft 4:0, driven by a water wheel 41. Drivingconnections are employed between the shafts 3534t for driving the latterin either direction, even though the former is only driven in onedirection by the parts 4 l4-.O-3938. These driving connections will behereinafter fully described.

Near the periphery of the worm wheel 39, the carrier portion 21 isprovided with an up standing arcuate flange 42 which is integral withsaid portion. A short vertical tube 43 has its lower end secured againstthe inner si le=of this liange,the upper a'ndflower ends of said tubecontaining ball or other'appropriate bearings 44: for theshaft 40. The

worm 39 is also disposed in this tube, meshing of this worm with "thewheel 38, being permittedby an opening '45 formed in the tube.

The construction just described, provides simple, yetielfi'cient anddurable vertical hearing means for the shaftflt). p

'Two rgear trains "46 47 are provided at "the inner sides of the arms27- 28 r'esp.ectively, "said trains extending between the shafts 3534 todrive the latter in either direction and embodying gears 4c6 -4:7, bothof which are loose upon the shaft 35. Slidable on and driven by thisshaft, is a clutch "member 48 which is disposed between the gears 46 -47said clutch and gears being provided with co-operable clutch teeth 19which are preferably slightly hook-shaped -as shown so that'there is nodanger of accidental disengagement after they are once engaged. Theclutch 48 is formed with va wide peripheralgroove 50 which receivesclutchshifting arms 51, said arms being secured to the shaft 36 andprojecting downwardly therefrom between the arms 29-30. These arms 51are of a width considerably less than'thewidth of the groove 50,permitting appreciable movement of said arms ineither direction, beforeeffecting movement of the clutch 49. Provision is made for'turning theshaft 36 until the arms 51 pass a neutral position at which they startto disengage the teeth 49, andadditional provision is made forrapidly'turningthe shaft'36 tocomplete the clutch shifting movementofthe arms 51, when the latter have been moved slightly past saidneutral position. This insures rapid shifting of the clutch 48 fromengagement with gear 46 into engagement with gear 1.7 or vice versa,andinsures that said clutch shallby no possibility stop at "a neutral, idleposition.

For turning shaft 36 to dispose the arms 51 slightly past theabove-named neutral position, the outer-end of said shaft is providedwith a downwardly projecting arm 52 whichis co-ope'rable with relativelyadjustable tr-ips'53'which project fromthe body v9. It will thus be seenthat when worm 37 has traveled sufficiently around the worm gear 11 toturnthe sprinkler head 15 in one direction to predeterminedextent, arm'52 will strike one'of'thetrips 5 3, so that it will effect reversing ofthe drive between the shafts 35- 34, thus correspondingly revers 'ingthe worm 37 and causing'turning of the sprinkler head 15 in the oppositedirection. At the limit of "this turning, arm 52 strikes the other trip53 and hence the :gearing is again reversed. Consequently, it will beseen thatthesprinkler head is made to oscillate slowly and that theextent of its oscillatory movement, maybe readily controlled by varyingthe space between the trips 53.

Secured to and projecting downwardly from the inner end of the shaft36,isJ-anadditional arm 54 which is co-operabl'ewitha l,

tween said end portions. When the arm 54 is in the position shown inFig. 3 and the shaft 36 is turned by the arm 52 and the co-acting trip53, it engages the end portion 57 of the spring 55 until it movesslightly past the crest 59. Then, the resiliency of the spring comesinto play and so acts upon the arm 54 as to cause the end portion 58 tomove said arm 54 quickly to its reversed position. This rapidly turnsthe shaft 36 to shift the clutch 48. When shaft 36 is turned in theother direction, as soon as arm 44 passes the crest 59, the end portion57 of the spring 55 of course effects quick turning of said shaft toproduce clutch shifting.

Around the gearing 46-47 and associated parts, I provide a housing 60 tocontain grease or other lubricant, insuring free and easy operation ofparts and excluding water from them, so that there is no danger ofcorrosion even if materials be used which would otherwise be subjectthereto. Two of the side walls of this housing may well be soldered tothe flange 42 and the tube 43 as indicated at 61 and 62, the lower partsof these walls being similarly secured to the upper side of theplate-like portion 21 of the carrier 20. One of these side walls ispreferably notched to receive the lug 24 as seen in Figs. 2 and 6 and inorder to prevent escape of grease through the opening 24*, this lug ispreferably provided with a stuffing box 63. The bottom of the casing ispreferably provided with an upturned flange 64 soldered or otherwisesecured to the lug 24 and to the flange 31, as seen most clearly inFigs. 7 and 8. One side wall of the housing 60 carries a stuffing box 65through which the shaft 36 passes, preventing any escape of lubricant.The top 66 of this housing 60 is preferably removable and is providedwith an upstanding tube 67 through which the shaft 40 passes, said shafthaving a water shed 68 telescoped with said tube. By upwardly shiftingthe top 66 until its flange 69 clears the body portion of the housing60, said top may be swung aside, permitting filling of the housing withgrease.

Excellent results are obtainable from the construction shown, and asabove stated, this construction is therefore preferably followed.However, within the scopeof the invention as claimed, variations may ofcourse be made.

I claim 1. In a mechanical movement, a carrier plate formed with a notchin one edge, a downwardly projecting lug on the plate at one side ofsaid notch, a downwardly projecting flange on said plate at the otherside of said notch, a second lug on the plate projecting horizontallyinto said notch between said sides thereof, parallel arms rising fromthe plate at said sides of said notch and having horizontally alinedbearing openings,

the first named lug and said flange being formed with similar openings,additional parallel arms rising from said second lug at opposite sidesof the axis of the first named bearing openings, the upper ends of saidadditional arms having alined bearing openings whose axis is above andtransverse to the aforesaid axis, vertical bearing means on the platenear one of the first named arms; a lower shaft in the bearing openingsof said flange and the first named lug, an intermediate shaft in thebearing openings of the first named arms, an upper shaft in the bearingopenings of said additional arms, and a vertical shaft in said verticalbearing means; gearing connecting said vertical and intermediate shaftsfor driving the latter in one direction, two gear trains at the innersides of said first named arms and extending between the intermediateand lower shafts for driving the latter in reverse directions, a slidingclutch on and driven by said intermediate shaft, and means on said uppershaft for sliding said clutch into engagement with either of said geartrains, said clutch and,

said clutch-sliding means being disposed betweensaid additional arms.

2. In a mechanical movement, a carrier plate formed with a notch in oneedge and having downwardly projecting shaft bearings at opposite sidesof said notch, a lug on said plate projecting horizontally into saidnotch between the sides thereof, parallel arms rising from the plate atsaid sides of said notch and having horizontally alined bearingopenings, additional parallel arms rising from said second lug atopposite sides of the axis of said bearing openings, the

upper ends of said additional arms having alined bearing openings whoseaxis is above and transverse to the aforesaid axis, vertical bearingmeans on the plate near one of the first named arms, a lower horizontalshaft mounted in said downwardly projecting bearings, an intermediateshaft in the bearing openings of the first named arms, an upper shaft inthe bearing openings of said additional arms, and a vertical shaft insaid vertical bearing means; gearing connecting said vertical andintermediate shafts for driving the latter in one direction, two geartrains at the inner sides of said first named arms and extending betweenthe intermediate and lower shafts for driving the latter GEORGE ZINT.

